The number of compounds and materials known today as effective insecticides and pesticides are too numerous to mention. Most of these agents are not without their shortcomings, however, especially in this era of high concern for ecological balance. Responsible governments the world over investigating and prohibiting the use of insecticides and pesticides found to be toxic to humans or which otherwise contribute to an unhealthy environment. In the United States, for instance, the number of pesticides strongly suspected by the Environmental Protection Agency of causing cancer or of otherwise being toxic to man, now totals 100. The agency is continuing its investigations, of 30,000 pesticides currently on the market, to find out which are in fact toxic to humans.
Unfortunately, many of the currently marketed insecticides which have been found to be relatively non-toxic to man, suffer from one or more of the following shortcomings:
1. The lack of effective kill power PA1 2. The lack of an ability to destroy a wide variety of insects. PA1 3. The lack of a persistent or long-lasting kill effect.
Thus, the search for effective insecticides which are non-toxic to humans and which do not have an adverse effect on the environment and ecological conditions continues.